Tufting machine



Oct, 6, 1936. M, H, LANG 2,056,355

TUFTING MACHINE Filed Feb. 15, 1955' s Sheets-Sheet 1 E A m L M .G H m .T

Oct. 6,1936,

3 Sheets-Sheet Filed Feb. 15, 1935 6, 1 36- M. H. LANG TUFTING MACHINE s Sheets-Sheeb 3 Filed Feb. 15, 1933 Patented Oct. 6, 1936 v UNITED STATES TUFTING MACHINE Martin H. Lang, Minneapolis, Minn., assignor to Harry Rosenberg, St. Paul, Minn. Application February 15, 1933, Serial No. 656,771

14 Claims.

This is a tufting' machine having means for automatically tufting the filler, cotton, or padding between side walls as the side walls and filling are carried along a table and through drafting rolls.

A feature resides in a'tufting stapling mechanism which is provided with a series of driving members which carry the staples down to the sheathing to be tufted and clinches the staples on anvils below the same while the padded sheathing is compressed at the point of staple tufting. The tufting staples may be positioned in line so as to form a series of rows of tufting staples, each row of which is driven into tufting position automatically by the mechanism provided for operating the same. The device may be provided with asmany staples or stapling heads as may be desired, each of which is adjustable in relation to each other so that the staples may be spaced apart at the intervals desired, and more or less staple driving members may be provided'as may be desired.

The tufting device is provided with means for simultaneously operating the staple driving members and at the same time operating the compressing cross head means which presses the padded sheathing together between the side walls and permits the staples to be driven through the same, providing a means for staple tufting articles, such as side walls of mattresses, top and-bottom upholstering sheathings for mattresses, cushions and the like. The construction is simple and the padded sheathing may be quickly and economically staple tufted with the staple tufting means acting also as a decorative feature for tufted or quilted sheathing so that a side wall for a mattress may be made very quickly on my tufting machine as well as a quilt or a top or bottom tufted or quilted sheathing for mattresses. Y

A feature resides in uniformity and automatically passing staples through the outer cover ing walls between which a cotton, wool or other padding is adapted tobe held so that the staple elements which form the tufting means are passed through the side walls and padding Without tearing the same but rather by piercing and clinching preferably fiat staple-like members which form uniform rows of tufting elements in the padding.

My tufting device is provided with means for ironing out the wrinkles of the padded sheathing before it passes under the tufting means so as to hold the same stretched out flat and smooth while it is being tufted. A further feature resides in an adjustable and movable drafting means which is designed to draw the tufted sheathing through the tufter and to assist in holding the same stretched taut While it is being tufted. The drafting means includes a pair of rollers which include spring means for holding the same adjustable in relation to each other. This releasing means provides the rolls with a resilient compressing action in operation. Further, the rolls may be released and rotated away from each other to give free access to the stapling elements quickly and easily when it is desired. I provide means in my tufting device which gives free and quick access toeach of the staple driving members and further provide each staple driving member with a freely removable staple guiding plate together with spring means for holding said plates inoperative position. Means are provided for holding these plates removable separately, whereupon free access is given to the staple groove at any time.

'A further feature resides in providing resilient individual follower elements for each row of staples for urging the staples under spring tension into driving position.

It is also a feature to provide an adjustable anvil means which permits the anvils to 'be adjustable in relation to the driving heads ofthe staples and resilient means for holding the anvils in operative position against the adjusting means. The anvils for each staple are removable so that they can be easily replaced. Means is further provided for holding the anvils together collectively so that they can be adjusted together into the desired operating position.

In the drawings forming part ofthis specification:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of my tufting machine.

Figure 2 is a front view of the same.

Figure 3 illustrates a portion of a mattress side wall, after it has been tufted on my machine.

Figure 4 is a transverse section through the side wallon the line 44 of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is an enlarged detail partly in section, of my automatic-tufting machine.

Figure 6 is a longitudinal section through one of the stapling heads.

Figure 7 is a perspective of a row of the staples which are held together by a thin lacquer or suitable means which permits them to be easily separated in use in my tuftingmachina,

Figure 8 is a front detail of one of the staple driving heads;

Figure 9 is 'a perspective detail, partly broken away, of a series of staple driving heads, staple supporting tracks and one of the anvils positioned below one of the staple driving heads.

Figure is a section on the line I0I0 of Figure 5.

Figure 11 is a diagrammatic sectional side detail of the driving head anvil and cam operating means with the parts in one position.

Figure 12 is a similar view to Figure 11, with the parts in another position.

Figure 13 is a similar view to Figure 11, with the parts in stillanother position.

Figure 14 is similar to Figure 11 with the parts in a still further position. 1

Figure is a side elevation view of the feeding mechanism.

My tufting machine A is designed to provide a simple device which will support an upper roll B of sheathing or covering material, a lower roll C of covering material, and a roll of padding or filler D. The coverings from the rolls B and C may be carried up onto the assembling table III which may be formed with sides II so that the filler of cotton, wool, or other suitable padding may follow between the sides I2 and I3 from the covering rolls B and'C.

The side I2 will preferably form. the top or outer surface of the finished tufted sheathing such as E, illustrated in Figure 3, while the side I3 will form the inner or under side of the same. The side I2 may be of a decorative nature such as is used on the outer surfaces of mattresses or quilts and in fact, both sides I2 and I3 may be of the same character and of a decorative nature such as where the finished tufted sheathing is of a quilt nature. I

The rolls '3 and C are adapted to be held by suitable brackets I4 and I5 which are supported by the frame portion I6 of the machine A which projects toward the back of the same. The roll D is adapted to be supported by the upright member I! at the back end of the frame I6. Each of the rolls B, C, and D may be readily replaced when desired. I provide the brackets I4 and I5 with notches I8 and I9 so that a larger or a smaller roll may be supported on the same. When a rollsuch as C'is held in the lower bracket I5 in the notch I8, a suitable strap member is secured to 'hold an end of the roll inoperative position. This strap '20 supports the roll.

The 'machine A is formed with a main frame 2I which is adapted to support an operating motor 22. The frame 2I supports the upper frame portion 23 between the sides of which a reciprocating cross head 24 is supported. The cross head -24 slides between the sides of the frame 23 and is adapted to be operated up and down by the cam wheels 25 which are supported by the shaft 26. Suitable cam following rollers 21 connect the cams 25 with the reciprocating cross head 24.

The cross'head 24 is adapted to adjustably support the staple driving heads 28 each of which is formed with an operating plunger 29 which is connectedto the short counter shaft 30. The ends of the counter shaft '30 are supported by the cam wheels 3| which travel in the cam. groove of the driving earns 32 which in turn are supported upon the shaft 26 adjacent the cams 25. These earns 25 and "32 operate together, however, their cam grooves are-of a diiferentshape as will be illustrated by the cam grooves showing in Figures 11 to 14, inclusive.

The cam grooves of the cam wheels 32 are formed with an apex or driving end 32, while the cam grooves of the cam wheels25 are formed with an arcuated cam groove 25 which is concentric with the shaft 26. At the other ends of the respective cams 25 and 32 their cam grooves are of the same character, having an arc concentric with the shaft 26.

Thus it will be apparent that in the operation of the shaft 26 the cam wheels 25 and the cam wheels 32 will rotate together, the cam wheels 25 regulating the movement of the cross head 24 while the cam wheels 32 will operate the driving plungers 29 in the'stapling heads 28. The lower end of the stapling heads 28 is arcuated at 33 to permit the sheathing E to slide under the arcuated surface 33 as it is drawn along the table II) and also forming the lower edge of the staple driving head 28 with a constricted end out of which the staple is driven when the driving head 28 is pressed down tight against the padded sheathing E. Each of the plungers 29 carry a staple driving blade 34 which projects beyond the plunger 29 andoperates in the staple receiving roove formed in the head 28. Removable face plates 35 give free access to the upper ends of the stapledriving heads 28, however, these plates are held on normally by suitable screws so as to hold the driving plungers 29 with their driving blades 34 in operative position in the same. The lower end of the staple groove is covered by an easily removable plate 36 which is held on the pins 3? when in operating position. A suitable spring 38 which is snapped onto the key stud 39 holds the plate 31 by spring tension on the pins 31. The plate 35 carries the key stud 39 and the spring 38 is formed with an'opening and slot which looks over the head of the key stud 39 to hold the spring 38 in position to hold the plate 36 on the pins 37. One of the plates 36 is shown removed from the pins 3'! in Figure 9.

The staple driving heads 28 are held adjustable to the cross head 24 by the bolts 40, as illustrated in Figure 6. The bolts 40 are carried in suitable slots I4 formed in the cross head 24 so that the staple driving heads 28 may be adjusted in relation to each other so as to space the same one adjacent the other in close relation or separated as desired. By this means I provide a construction wherein the cross head 24 supports a gang of staple driving heads 28 and when they are operated by the cams 32 they will drive a row of staples into the padded sheathingsupported below the same.

The frame 23 is adapted to adjustably support removable clinching 'mandrels 4I which'are held in the bed plate 42 supported between the sides of the frame 23 in the slots 43. An adjusting screw 44 is adapted to adjust the bed plate 42 into the desired position against the tension of the coil springs-45. I provide =two'of these coil springs 45,-one at either end of the bed plate so as to give sufiicient tension to cause the bed plate 42 to follow the adjusting screw 44. This permits the clinching mandrels-M to be adjusted in relation to-the driving heads 28 so as to properly-position the same. 7

For each driving head 28 I provide. a staple track 46 which carries the staples 41. The staples '41 are preferably formed in groups as illustrated in Figure '7, and are connected together by suitable lacquer or other easily breakable means although the staples have been cut and formed separately when they were made, The staples 47 preferred in my tufting are of'a flat character :as illustrated in Figure 7, designed for the purpose of being clinched as illustrated in Figure 4, with the clinching ends spaced apart and the body having a, flat close engagement with the side walls I2 and I3 so as to form a flat bearing and engagement with the walls l2 and I3 to form a tufting means which will tuft the sides I2 and I3 at the points of the staples without tearing the sides and forming a very neat and decorative tufting means which is buried into the material and forms a strong engagement, preventing the goods from tearing at the point of tufting by the staples. The rows of staples 41 are held on the tracks 55 and are caused to be urged toward the stapling heads 28 v by the follower plates 48 through means of coil springs 49 and the connecting cord 55 which passes over the idle wheels 5! and which extends back to the plate 48. Thus the staples ll are held under spring" tension so as to urge the same into the staple groove of the driving heads 28.

I provide serrated draft rollers 52 and 53 in front of the lower portion of the frame 23 which are driven by intermeshing gears 5 The roller 52 is mounted on the shaft 55 and a ratchet gear 56 is mounted on the end of this shaft adjacent the gears 54 and is adapted to be operated by the ratchet arm 5?, which in turn is reciprocated by the rod 58 illustratedin Figure 5 and also in Figure 2. The rod 58 is operated by the member 59 which is connected to the shaft 25.

The motor 22 operates the shaft 25 by the belt BI) through the gears 6| so as to operate the machine A, causing the same to automatically tuft rows of tufting staples 41 through the padded sheathing E.

The serrated draft rolls 52 and 53 draw the tufted sheathing through the same, pulling and holding the sheathing E taut over the table If] beneath the staple driving heads 28. The top roller 53 is held in slidable end bearings 52 which are supported in the swinging frame 53 normally held under the tension of the end springs 64 when the frame 53 is held in operative position as illustrated in Figure 5. Cam wheels 55 supported on the ends of the operating shaft 55 (see Figure are operated by the hand lever 61. The shaft 65 is journalled in vertically slidable posts 56 secured to the end bearings 62. Operation of the hand lever 6! acts to rotate the shaft 56, causing the cams 85 to engage against the top of the frame, moving the shaft 56 away from the top of the frame. The posts 64' are raised vertically, raising the bearing block 62 and the top roller 53 away from the roller 52 under tension of the springs 64. ,When the rolls 52 and 53 are spaced in this manner, the padded sheathing E may be more easily adjusted between the rollers 52 and 53.

, An important feature of my tufter A resides in the construction which permits the roller 53 to be released from the roller 52 and by disengaging the locking hook '68 illustrated in Figure 1 and also in Figure 10, the frame 63 may be dropped forward as illustrated in dotted lines in Figure 1, leaving free access to the table It! and to each of the staple driving heads 28. This operation is quick, simple and very effective in degree at a time according to the ratchet movement of the driven wheels. Thus each time a gang or row of staples are driven through the padded sheathing E by the staple driving heads 28, the driven rollers 52 and 53 will draw the stapled padded sheathing a step forward through the machine A into position to drive another row of staples. In this manner the tufting machine A operates automatically to place rows of tufting staples ll in the sheathing as illustrated in Figure 3, making a very neat and decorative means of tufting the sheathing. The operation is quick, accurate, positive and yet very simple.

As the padded sheathing E is drawn along the table I8 it is caused to be ironed smooth before it passes under the driving heads 28 by means of v the ironing member I0. This member is pivoted at II in the side wall II of the table I8 by means of slots I3, as illustrated in Figure 10. The ironing member I0 is comparatively heavy, is of a flat triangular nature, with a rounded pointed end 72 which hangs down from the pivot points 'II and tends to iron out the upper surface I2 perfectly smooth and flat, holding this surface in this manner until the staples 41 have been driven through the padded sheathing E. Naturally the lower surface or covering I3 is also held flat, in fact, both of the coverings I2 and I3 are smooth- 1y ironed out by the iron member I0 before the same are staple tufted. The iron Ill may be as heavy as may be desired and may be varied in weight in accordance with the padding to be placed between the sides I2 and I3.

My tufting machine A is designed to tuft side walls for mattresses, cushions and the like, which consist of a comparatively narrow strip of padded sheathing. It is also apparent that my tufting machine A may drive a row of staples in gangs through a padded sheathing E of any width that may be desired by making my tufting machine A wider in character and supplying it with the desired gang of stapledriving cross heads 28. I have illustrated three staple driving heads 28 held adjacent each other in a gang which automatically drive a row of three staples through the sheathing E at one time. The pad ID of the machine may be made as Wide as desired. My machine A is adapted to tuft quilts or other padded sheathing, placing the tufting staples through the material without tearing the same, and permitting tufting staples to be used of a character to bind the sides firmly together without tearing out. I have illustrated flat staples, however, it is apparent any form of staples may be usedby my machine, even round wire staples if it is so desired. Round 'wire staples are not as desirable for holding material for the reason that they do not grip the surface of the cloth with sufficient firmness to prevent the same from tearing. Nevertheless, they may be used in my machine if it is desired even though I prefer the flat staples for ordinary tufting of textile, with a padding between the same.

The adjustable nature of my tufting machine, together with the simple operation thereof provide a means particularly adapted for tuftingside walls of mattresses or cushions so that they may be made more economically and yet have abetter decorative character and more uniform than where other means of tufting is employed.

In accordance with the patent statutes I have described the principles of operation of my tufting machine and while I have endeavored to set forth the best embodiment thereof, I desire to have it understood that this is only illustrative of a means of carrying out my invention and that obvious changes may be made withinthe scope of the following claims without departing from the spirit of my invention.

I claim:

1. A tufting device comprising, a frame, means forrsupporting a supply of tufting staples, a gang of staple driving heads adapted to receive staples from said source of supply, a gang of clinching anvils adjustably positioned below said heads, a reciprocating cross head carried by said frame, means for reciprocating'said cross head, means for adjustably supporting said gang of stapling heads to said cross head, means for driving said stapling heads into operative position toward said anvils, means for automatically drawing material and padding between said staple driving heads and said anvils while they are separated from each other, andholding the material at rest at intervals, said cross head driving means pressing said gang of staple driving heads simultaneously against the material to be tufted, forcing the same toward said anvils, and said driving means for said staple driving heads forcing staples therefrom into the material and clinching the same on said anvils to tuft the material with a plurality of staples placed simultaneously while the material is at rest on said anvils.

2. A staple tuftingmachine comprising, means for supporting a series of rows of staples, staple driving .heads providing holding means, staple driving means in said heads, a cross head for supporting a gang of said staple driving heads, anvils for each of said staple driving heads, and means for reciprocating said cross head to force said staple driving heads toward said anvils into operative position'to hold the material, said staple driving means operating after said heads are adjacent said anvils to automatically drive and then clinch a seriesiof tufting staples through a padded sheathing.

3. A tufting machine comprising, means for driving a row of tufting staples through a padded sheathingat spaced'apart points, draft means on one side of said staple driving means for drawing the sheathing a step at a time into position to be staple tufted, and means on the other side of said. staple driving means for ironing out the wrinkles in the padded sheathing, said draft means drawing the sheathing taut between said draft means andsaid ironing means to hold the padded sheathing wrinkleless while being staple tufted.

4. A staple tuftingmachine for a continuous strip of material comprising, a gang of staple driving heads transversely aligned with relation to the direction of travel of the material, means for adjustably supporting said heads, separate adjustable anvils for each of said heads, means forsupplyingl-staples to each of said heads, removable inspection plates permitting the 'examination of the staple receiving channel in each of said heads, and spring means engaging said plates for holding said inspection plates to each of said heads.

5. A stapletufting machine comprising, a gang of adjustably supported staple driving heads, anvils for each of said driving heads, means for adjusting saidanvils toward and away from said driving heads, a removable inspection cover for each .of said heads, spring means for holding said coversto said heads,.means for supplying staples to each of said "heads, means for supporting a supply of covering and padding material, draft rollers for: pulling the covering and padding material into position to be stapled by said heads, means for operating said draft rollers intermittently, and means for operating said staple driving heads to staple tuft the padded sheathing at the interval of rest of said draft rollers.

6. A staple tufting machine comprising, a gang of adjustably supported staple driving heads, anvils for each of said driving heads, means for adjusting said anvils toward and away from said driving heads, a removable inspection cover for each of said heads, spring means for holding said covers to said heads, means for supplying staples to each of said heads, a sheathing receiving table associated with said anvils, means for supporting a supply of covering and padding material, draft rollers adjacent said heads for pulling the covering and padding material into position to be stapled by said heads to form a sheathing, means for releasing said draft rollers from operative position and away from said staple driving heads, means for operating said draft rollers intermittently, and means for operating said staple-driving heads to staple tuft the padded sheathing at the interval of rest of said draft rollers.

7. A staple tufting machine comprising, a series of stapledriving elements, a source of supply'of staples for said elements, means for collectively gathering and feeding padding and covering material through said machine, means foroperating said gathering and feeding means intermittently, means .spaced from said gathering and feeding means for ironing out thewrinkles in the padded sheathing to position the opposed coverings in substantially parallel relationship before it is stapled, and "means for automatically driving a row of tufting staples between said ironing means and said feeding means at a time to tuft the covering to the padding at spaced apart points.

8. A tufting device comprising, a series of tufting driving elements, means for feeding tufting elements to said driving elements, means for supplying a padding with a covering over the same in the form of a padded sheathing, table means over which the padded sheathing is adapted to be carried, draft rolls for drawing the padded sheathing over said table beneath said tufting driving elements, and fiat ironing means resting upon the sheathing for retarding and smoothing out the padded sheathing under the tufting driv ing elements. a a

9. -A staple tufting machine including draft means for pulling the tufting through the machine, flat ironing means for smoothing the wrinkles from said tuftingata point spaced from said draft means, means mounting said ironing means to ride flat on the surface of the tufting, and stapling means operable between said ironing means and said draft means for stapling the tuftmg.

10. A tufting machine comprising, means for supporting a supply of padding material, means for supporting a supply of covering material, a table for collectively receiving the padding and covering material, flat means in said table for ironing out the wrinkles in said covering and padding as it passes along said table, means mounting said ironing means to lie flat on the covering, means for pulling the covering and padding over said table, and means for staple tufting the padding to the covering material automatically as it is drawn collectively through said machine on said table.

11. A tufting machine for tufting padding to a covering material, means for collectively carrying the padding and covering material over a common point, means for smoothing said material, means for pivotally and slidably mounting said smoothing means, and means for staple tufting the smoothed padding and covering material together automatically at uniformly spaced apart points.

12. A device for tufting sheet padding comprising, means for supporting a supply of sheet-like padding, means for supporting covering material for each side of the padding, means for collectively drawing from the source of supply the covering with the padding therebetween, means for smoothin'g said material to position said coverings substantially parallel, means for pivotally and slid ably supporting said smoothing means, and means for tufting the padding between the covering at spaced apart points to automatically form a tufted padded sheathing.

13. A staple tufting machine for sheathing comprising, a series of staple driving heads, means for supporting and reciprocating said heads collectively into operative position, means for feeding staples to each of said heads, clinching anvils for each of said heads, draft means for the sheathing movably supported adjacent said heads, means for retaining said draft means in operative position, and adapted to be released so that the draft means may be moved away from the heads.

14. A tufting machine for padding sheathing comprising, a series of staple driving heads, means for feeding staples to each of said heads, inspection cover plates on each of said heads, means for holding said plates easily removable therefrom, draft rollers movably mounted adjacent said heads for drawing padded sheathing in position to be staple tufted by said heads, spring means for relatively urging said draft rollers together, means for operating said draft rollers, and means for retaining said draft rollers in operative position and releasable to permit one roller to be moved out of operative position.

MARTIN H. LANG. 

